The face is in deep contemplation, hands in a prayer gesture. Simon Dow describes this self-portrait as “silent”; and has named it ‘No Self’. It has recently been shortlisted along with 19 other photographic portraits for the prestigious Martin Kantor Prize.
The [Tarrangower] Times caught up with Simon over coffee at Belle Espresso last weekend to discuss his nomination. He is a wise, articulate and humble person who explained his ambivalence at even entering the competition, referring to his background in Ballet and having sat on dance juries. Should we even attempt to measure art, he asked, and rank one work as better than another? We discussed the works on display currently at Simon and Brad’s EDGE Galleries in Maldon – one series visceral and confronting, the other spiritual and visually delightful. They reflect different sides of the human condition: who is to say which is better?
Simon entered the competition because it is widely respected. Entry conditions included size restrictions and specified that the portrait subject be someone prominent in a public field. He was not convinced that his self-portrait would even be competitive, because it is “quiet”. So, he was shocked to be nominated – especially after five previous unsuccessful competition entries.
Our conversation ventured into the area of portraiture and self-portraiture. Self portraits are common in art – Rembrandt and Van Gogh for instance did many – if only because looking in the mirror is easier than persuading someone to sit for you. To sit for a portrait is to give the artist your trust, to surrender your self-image to them, and can be a confronting experience. We have seen the responses of Anh Do’s subjects in his popular TV series: Is that what I look like? or, Is that how you see me? And next level of course is posing nude. Enough said.
The Martin Kantor Photographic Portrait Prize comes under the umbrella of the 2023 Ballarat International Foto Biennale and runs until late October, when the winner will be announced. To view the shortlisted entries go to https://tinyurl.com/yckmb7nr or better still, pay a visit to Ballarat Town Hall and see for yourself these outstanding works.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 18 August 2023.
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